Prof Luke O'Neill says the big concern for Ukrainian hospitals now is basic medical supplies.

The professor of biochemistry at Trinity College Dublin is heading for the border in Poland to deliver some of those supplies.

He is there as part of a convoy from Medical Help Ukraine - a group of Ukrainian doctors in Ireland.

He told The Pat Kenny Show this is a carefully planned operation.

"I'm two hours from the Polish border - we're delivering medical supplies to Ukraine.

"We should hit Poland later tonight, early tomorrow morning.

"And then a bunch of Ukrainian doctors are coming over to pick up a whole load of medical supplies.

"We've lots of trauma gear in the back of the truck - it's part of an initiative that was begun by Ukrainian doctors in Ireland called Medical Help Ukraine.

"I'm on my way to Poland".

He says €5m worth of supplies have already been sent to Ukraine.

"Medical friends of mine are heavily involved, and they asked me to come along. We loaded up the truck, actually, last weekend.

"They've sent €5m worth of medical supplies into Ukraine already.

"This evening, the three Ukrainian doctors in Ireland are flying in and joining us - and then we transfer the stuff over to trucks and it gets driven across the border".

'Running out of basic meds'

He says it is a good example of cutting out the middle man.

"They sent shopping lists from hospitals in Ukraine to the Ukrainian doctors in Ireland, and we've filled up those shopping lists.

"So it's a really good example of getting the equipment and supplies to where it's really needed".

And Prof O'Neill says the need for help is huge.

"Last night we saw Médecins Sans Frontières, [who] said their big need now is medical supplies.

"A hundred hospitals have been bombed and all the equipment has been destroyed.

"And basic meds they've run out of even - insulin and antibiotics and so on - as well as trauma stuff because of all the injuries that are happening.

"The need is huge here, so any contribution would be gratefully received".

People can contribute to Medical Help Ukraine here